Facts About Mars

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a highly sophisticated spacecraft whose main purpose is to explore Mars from orbit. It has specialized cameras that feeds high resolution images of Mars to our scientists. Another purpose of the orbiter is to map out landing sites for future rovers, the MRO was the one used to map out the landing site of Phoenix, it also helps scientists understand the weather changes in Mars.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter also packs scientific equipments used to analyze the landforms, minerals, ice and stratigraphy (study of rock layers and layering) of Mars.

This $720 million dollar spacecraft was launched on August 12, 2005 and reached Mars’s orbit on March 10, 2006. The MRO is the 5th spacecraft to be operating on Mars’s orbit. The others were the Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express, and Mars Odyssey. The two rovers Spirit and Opportunity also came before the MRO.

THE MISSION

• Look for evidence that water was once present in Mars and that it existed long enough to support life.
• Map out the Martian landscape with its sophisticated cameras and help in choosing landing sites for the rovers.
• Study the Martian climate, weather and geology.
• Look for the remains of the lost Mars Polar Lander and Beagle 2

THE EQUIPMENTS

• HiRise (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera – The largest and most sophisticated camera ever brought to orbit. Its main purpose is to provide high resolution images that will help scientists study the surface structure of Mars. The HiRise will provide great views of the Martian channels and gullies as well their layerings.

• CTX (Context Imager) Camera – The MRO’s wide angle camera. Its resolution may not be as great as the HiRise but it can take pictures of the Martian surface that spans 30 kilometers across. The CTX will be working together with the HiRise and CRISM. Scientists believe that they are unbeatable tools that will further our study of the Martian surface and environment.

• CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometers for Mars) – Will be used to answer our “Water” questions. When, where, in what form, how much, and for how long did water flow on the surface of Mars. The CRISM will be used to trace minerals that formed in the presence of water.

• MARCI (Mars Color Imager) – The weather man of the MRO. It collects about 84 daily images to produce a weather report for Mars. MARCI will observe daily and seasonal changes in the atmosphere. It will also be used to observe the polar caps and dust storms as it happens.

• MCS (Mars Climate Sounder) – Will be used to observe the temperature, humidity, pressure, dust content, and water vapor of Mars. Its a very sophisticated equipment that is used to study how the heat of the sun affects the Martian climate and how the atmosphere changes from day to night and from season to season.

• SHARAD (Shallow Subsurface Radar) – Will look inside the crust of Mars, about 1 kilometer deep, in search for liquid water or ice. Sharad will be using radar waves of 15 – 25 MHz that can resolve layers to a maximum of 1 kilometer. SHARAD will be working closely with Mars Express’s MARSIS, which serves the same purpose only that it does not have a great resolution like the SHARAD but it can reach greater depths.

The same with all space mission, there will be great challenges that needs to be addressed. With MRO, the biggest challenge will be its orbital insertion and aerobraking. This is a technique used so that the probe can actually go in to the orbit of Mars, once in orbit there will still be a gruelling aerobraking procedure that will last for 5 months before scientists can actually perform experiments and observations.

Here is a great video that explains the orbital insertion and earobraking process.

As of now the MRO continues to provide unprecedented data and will be able to function for 5 more years if NASA will still need its services. The mission was set for 2 years but it was extended since the MRO is still able to function perfectly.